It's a bit hard to chuck a sickie if you're Wolverine. So Hugh Jackman has discovered after realising his film shooting schedule means he will miss the party for his passion project, the launch of Russell James's book Nomad Two Worlds, tomorrow night at the Darling Hotel in Sydney.

"I'm devastated," Jackman sighed. "Nomads is one project I really believe in and we've been talking about the book launch for 12 months. But you know, we've all got a boss. They knew what it meant to me but the train's rolling, unfortunately."

The book features James's photos and collaborations with indigenous Australian, Native American and Haitian artists. A percentage of the proceeds of the book will go to art projects in indigenous communities.

"Nomads is about reconciliation and bringing cultures together in a social business sense," Jackman told The Sun-Herald's Shelly Horton. "This is the apology in action."

James has just flown in from Haiti where the book was launched by Bill Clinton and Richard Branson. "We try to celebrate the art of the indigenous artists and not have it be a celebrity-driven brand, but while everyone has been enormously respectful of that, we have had some amazing celebrities help out," he said.

For Jackman it's a chance to use his celebrity for good. "I do try not to use my celebrity for evil," he joked, "I mean it's a daily struggle because the pull of evil is so strong but if I can ever use it for good, I do."